Improving access to education via satellites in Africa: A primer (an overview of the opportunities afforded by satellite and other technologies in meeting educational and development needs) Mathy Vanbuel To cite this version: Mathy Vanbuel. Improving access to education via satellites in Africa: A primer (an overview of the opportunities afforded by satellite and other technologies in meeting educational and development needs). 2003. hal-00190216 HAL Id: hal-00190216 https://telearn.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00190216 Submitted on 23 Nov 2007 HAL is a multi-disciplinary open access L’archive ouverte pluridisciplinaire HAL, est archive for the deposit and dissemination of sci- destinée au dépôt et à la diffusion de documents entific research documents, whether they are pub- scientifiques de niveau recherche, publiés ou non, lished or not. The documents may come from émanant des établissements d’enseignement et de teaching and research institutions in France or recherche français ou étrangers, des laboratoires abroad, or from public or private research centers. publics ou privés. Improving Access to Education via Satellites in Africa: A Primer IMFUNDO (im-fun-doe) n. The acquisition of knowledge: the process of becoming educated. (from the Nguni languages of southern Africa.) An overview of the opportunities afforded by satellite and other technologies in meeting educational and development needs IMFUNDO Partnership for IT in Education KnowledgeBank paper 1 ........Improving.. Access.. to Education.. via.. Satellites.. in Africa: ..A Primer ..Improving.. Access to.. Education.. via Satellites.. in Africa:.. A Primer........ Table of Contents 1.0 Executive Summary 7 2.0 Introduction 9 This Primer was commissioned by Imfundo:Partnership in IT 2.1. Outline 12 and Education. It was written by Mathy Vanbuel of ATiT, 2.2. Background 12 3.0 Basics of Satellite Communications 14 Belgium (http://www.atit.be) and was first published online at 3.1. Introduction 14 http://www.imfundo.org in 2001. This edition is an up-dated 3.2. Overview 14 version commissioned by Imfundo and written by Mathy 3.2.1. Purpose 14 Vanbuel and published online in October 2003. 3.2.2. System Elements 16 3.2.3. Satellite control and lifetime 24 Its objective is to provide an overview of the opportunities 3.3. Applications of Satellite Communications Technology 25 afforded by developments in satellite technology in meeting 3.3.1. Introduction 25 3.3.2. Radio and TV Broadcasting 25 educational and development needs especially in Sub-Saharan 3.3.3. Telephony 30 Africa. This publication is protected by a creative commons 3.3.4. Data, broadband and multimedia services 33 license (Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 1.0). For the 4.0 Satellite Applications in Education 43 complete text and an explanation of what this means, visit 4.1. Education content: contribute, distribute and retrieve 43 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/1.0/ 4.1.1. An introduction to different types of content 43 4.1.2. Digitalisation of content for communication purposes 45 Neither Imfundo nor ATiT assume any liability arising out of 4.1.3. Accessing content: unicast, multicast, broadcast 47 the application or use of any information described herein. 4.1.4. Interaction 50 4.1.5. Matching a pedagogical model with an educational The information contained within this document is by its very information and communication technology selection 51 nature incomplete. Therefore, the authors accept no 4.2. Broadcasting 53 4.3. Interactive Television 54 responsibility for the precise accuracy of the documentation. 4.3.1. Video-on-demand 54 4.3.2. One-way broadcast with asymmetric return 54 4.4. Data Broadcasting and Multicasting 55 4.5. Internet Access 55 4.6. One and Two-way Connectivity 56 4.7. VSAT Networks 57 4.8. Meeting Educational Needs by means of Satellite Networks 58 4.9. Costs and Service Considerations 58 4.9.1. Cost models 59 4.9.2. Service costs 62 4.9.3. Regulatory issues 76 4.9.4. Conclusion 78 2 .................... .................... 3 ........Improving.. Access.. to Education.. via.. Satellites.. in Africa: ..A Primer ..Improving.. Access to.. Education.. via Satellites.. in Africa:.. A Primer........ Table of Contents - Contd. Table of Contents - Contd. 5.0 Access and connection technologies 79 7. 0 Vendors and Services in Africa. 133 5.1. Access to Public Networks 79 7.1. Satellite Operators 133 5.1.1. PSTN, the Public Switched Telephone Network 79 RASCOM 133 5.1.2. ISDN, Integrated Services Digital Network 81 VITA-Connect 134 5.1.3. Mobile and wireless telephony 82 AfriStar 134 5.1.4. Satellite telecommunications 84 PanAmSat 135 5.1.5. Leased lines 85 Intelsat 135 5.1.6. Digital Subscriber Loop – DSL 86 ARABSAT 136 5.1.7. 2-Way Cable 87 Inmarsat 136 5.1.8. Microwave, Radio, Wireless 87 Eutelsat 137 5.2. Competitive technologies: present and future 90 SES-Global 137 5.2.1. Fibre vs. Satellite 90 Hughes Electronics 138 5.2.2. Exploitation of new space in the ether 91 New Skies 138 5.2.3. Software-Defined Radio (SDR) 92 Intersputnik 138 5.2.4. Power Line Access Networks 92 Europe*Star 139 6.0 Satellites in Education 95 7.2. ISPs and Satellite Links 139 African Virtual University 95 7.2.1. Country reports 140 Africa Learning Channel 98 Egypt 141 The AVD project, Austria 100 Ethiopia 144 Channel Africa 101 Gambia 145 Consorzio Nettuno, Italy 102 Ghana 147 CRO.CU.S 104 Kenya 151 Cyber Seminars, Japan 106 Mozambique 153 DigiNet, Nigeria 107 Rwanda 155 Digital Broadcast Initiative (DBI), Nepal 108 South Africa 156 GDLN - World Bank 110 Tanzania 160 La Caravane de l’Internet, Senegal 113 7.3. Satellite service providers in Africa 162 Les Amphis de france 5 115 8.0 Glossary 171 LINCOS, Costa Rica 116 9.0 Further Resources 174 Manguzi Wireless Internet, South Africa 118 9.1. Support Organisations and Web Sites 174 Multichoice Africa Foundation 120 9.2. Mailing Lists, Newsletters and Discussion Lists 179 Myeka School project 121 9.3. Reports and Reference Documentation 181 Plate-forme de ressources éducatives sonores (PRES, ex-Canal EF) 123 10. Annex 1: Comparison Indicators 183 Sat&Clic 124 SchoolSat, Ireland 126 St. Helens e-Learning Bus 127 Telesecundaria, Mexico 129 TELETUKS 130 4 .................... .................... 5 mproving Access to ..Improving.. Access to.. Education.. via Satellites.. in Africa:.. A Primer........ Information and Communication Technologies • Connection is possible almost anywhere (ICT) can effectively support basic education in instantly within the footprint of the satellite, with Education via Satellitesdeveloping countriesin by creating environments no cabling work or delays depending on more conducive to teacher training and education terrestrial infrastructure, thus solving the “last management. However, there are many mile” problem. challenges to making effective use of ICT in these • Consumer equipment is relatively low-cost. countries, one of the most important being the Africa: A Primer • Internet connectivity can be combined with lack of an adequate technological infrastructure. The current level and type of connectivity in Sub- traditional broadcasting technologies such as Sahara Africa is insufficient to effectively support digital TV and Radio, enabling content providers educational programmes. to select the most appropriate delivery means according to the type of content. Fortunately, developments in Satellite communication technology may alter parts of this • In addition, multimedia push services via picture in the short term. Rapid technological satellite, such as data broadcasting or Executive Summary 1.0 innovations drive the availability of low-cost one and information streaming, are extremely efficient. In two-way satellite services. These technologies build these cases, there is no need for a return link via .................... on the history and experience of using satellite modem, eliminating the need and cost of an technology to support a range of broadcast and Internet connection. communications services. In broad terms satellite The purpose of this Primer, "Improving Access to Satellite supported networks for educational communication technology is used in: purposes are well-established and many Education via Satellites in Africa" is to provide an • Radio and television Broadcasting examples of projects and on-going initiatives exist overview of the opportunities afforded by in both the developing and developed world. It is • Telephony developments in satellite technology in meeting useful to investigate these examples to • Data, Broadband and Multimedia services understand the various issues that arise in using educational and development needs especially in satellite-based services to support educational • Mobile Communications Sub-Saharan Africa. It has been commissioned by initiatives. Aspects of good practice that are worth Satellite communications service providers are mentioning are: Imfundo as part of their mandate to use ICT in expanding their business range from broadcast- • Network design is crucial and should be based support of Educational Development and type services based on high-powered and large- on a broad understanding of all network options scale installations towards various “direct-to- specifically as a contribution to Imfundo’s including emerging services like small scale home” services. This evolution has been VSAT networks. Knowledge Bank. It was originally written in 2001 demonstrated by an increasing number of vendors by Mathy Vanbuel of ATiT, Belgium and is offering cost-effective solutions